Hey there,

I'm awaiting delivery on my Patriot, and had a quick question. I am an artist who sometimes has to transport 4x8 sheet goods from the hardware store to my studio. This will be my first vehicle with a roof rack, and I was wondering if anyone has any tips, or knows of any accessories that would aid in making that a little easier? If not, there's always rope.

As the past manager of San Diego's largest lumberyard, I STRONGLY RECOMMEND AGAINST trying to transport 4x8 sheets of ANYTHING atop the Patriot! The only way to safely transport sheets of material of that size outside of any vehicle is lashed vertically to the side of the vehicle - where the material (and the handling of the vehicle) will not be effected by lift. Alternately, you can lie them horizontally atop and lashed securely to a rack at least as long and wide as the sheets of material themselves, although at freeway speed the lift will still effect the vehicle's stability.

I can't imagine you bolting a 4x8 foot steel rack permanently to the top of your Patriot.

Rent an F-150 from Lowes or Home Depot for about $10.00 per hour when you need it.

I agree with Bobbyt. Would also suggest that you might be better served by adding a trailer hitch and buying or renting a trailer for the plywood.

Thanks for the info.

I was initially looking for a truck or SUV that would fit 4x8, but I fell in love with the Jeep, so I guess sacrifices must be made. The nice thing is that I can still fit quite a bit of 8' lumber in the car with the front seat folded flat.

Thanks!

Hey, with the money the Patriot will save you on gas, buy a mid-80s Grand Voyager or Grand Caravan - you can slide a sheet of plywood right into one of those and they're indistructable. (And for $1100, it'll handle all the indignity you can dish up!)

I carried 4x8 plywood on the roof rack of my wife's forester dozens of times.
I also carried repeated loads of 8' cordwood, a full size refigerator, queen size box spring and matress, a large leather reclining couch, and a heavy hide-a-bed. All without incident or damage to the goods or the vehicle.
That said I never exceeded 50km/h (30 mph), went very slowly around corners and made sure to brake gradually. I secured the taller, heavier loads to the B-Pillars and all the large items to holes in the side rails, rather than to the cross rails.

I do not plan the OEM bars on the Patriot to carry plywood, they are too short to secure the sides of the sheet to prevent it from shifting sideways. I plan to use the longer aftermarket sport bars.

I am not claiming this is safe or sensible, just that I have done it.

Rent an F-150 from Lowes or Home Depot for about $10.00 per hour when you need it.
That's exactly what we do! It is well worth it. We don't need to haul that kind of stuff other than maybe 2-3 times a year. So we get to have the vehicles we like to drive every day, and we don't have the added expense of keeping a beater pickup for those handful of times.

Having said that, if the OP will be hauling 4x8 material on a regular basis he is better off with a full-bed pickup. A 4x8 trail for the Patriot might be a good compromise.

The trailer option sounds pretty good.

What do those cost? Where can I find one?

Thanks,

KeyJZ

you'll find fixed-axle (no suspension) trailers for about $250.00 in the PennySaver (or whatever your local "greensheet" is... It comes in the mail about once a month... Also, check Hemmings.:smiley_thumbs_up:

Thanks.